Wikileaks’ Assange offers to face trial in the US if Chelsea Manning is released

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange offered today to surrender to the United States under a single condition — that Chelsea Manning be released from the US Disciplinary Barracks in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Manning — a transgender woman born Bradley Manning — is currently serving the remainder of her 35-year prison sentence after being convicted under the Espionage Act after leaking nearly 750,000 classified — or unclassified, but ‘sensitive’ — military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks in 2013. Manning was arrested after confiding in another intelligence officer, Adrian Lamo, and charged with 22 crimes — including ‘aiding the enemy,’ an offense punishable by death.

Under the US Constitution, Obama has the power to grant clemency to Manning, although it’s doubtful he’ll exercise it. During both terms, Obama commuted 575 prisoners — more than the last nine presidents combined. He’s also denied more than 9,000 commutation requests.